


Hunter and Hunted

by Vailee



Category: Homestuck
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-30
Updated: 2019-09-30
Packaged: 2020-11-16 13:43:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20829128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vailee/pseuds/Vailee
Summary: A short chat between a hunter and an aberration





	Hunter and Hunted

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this floating around for a while waiting for more but I'm not that interested in the direction Homestuck and the fandom are going so I'm posting it as is. I haven't bothered to edit it so sorry about that. If there's any interest I've got other unfinished fics I could potentially turn into oneshots.

You know he's cursed the first time you see him. It would be hard not to know at a glance, what with the way he's being swarmed.

The only reason you don't kill him where he stands is because you've never seen a swarming like this.

Normally swarms consisted of imps, misshapen humanoids of various sizes made entirely of oily black liquid that meld together to cover and be absorbed into anyone that comes into contact with them. The swarm then takes over the cursed, turning them into monsters and murderers. The cursed could then use the malleable substance the imps were made from to do near anything. Though the main use seemed to be creating a multitude of imps, hence the name.

His swarm, on the other hand was pearlescent white. The creatures that formed his swarm consisted of snake like beings with feathered wings. You might have even discounted it as a swarm if not for the similar behavior and the bodies sprawled around his form.

The bodies were all human, well, humanoid. Not like there's much difference when they’re dead anyway. While they all had injuries consistent with swarm attacks none looked to be incubating another swarm thankfully. From the looks of their clothes and the weapons scattered around you guess they’d attempted to rob the cursed before his swarm came out to play.

It takes the cursed a moment to notice you, standing just outside his area of carnage. When he does notice he flinches and the swarm is entirely absorbed into him. There’s no mark, no scarring, absolutely no sign of the swarm that just recently covered him head to toe.

Another peculiarity, a normal swarm would hardly ever be fully absorbed back into the cursed, and if it was it would leave the marks. Discoloured skin, scars, deformed limbs. If you hadn't seen the swarm with your own two eyes you wouldn't believe he was cursed at all.

"Ah." He says sheepishly, scratching idly at his arm. "Don't suppose we can just forget you saw that eh?"

"No. I don't suppose we can."

"Right." There’s a moment of silence as you both watch the other. Theories and plans flicker through your mind before you get a bit distracted. He's got a pair of brilliant green eyes. "You don't seem too keen in attacking me."

"You don't seem hostile either, not something one comes to expect from those cursed."

"Yes, well. You've seen my swarm. Not exactly the normal way of things, is it?"

"No it isn’t. And now there's no sign of it, not a mark on you." He glances down at himself as if to check the validity of your statement.

"Yes indeed. They're a lot nicer than the normal lot."

"Nicer."

"Yes? They listen to what I want for one thing. Like going away when they're not needed." He gestures to himself, implying that ‘going away’ translates to the swarm being absorbed into him. "From what I can tell, those other swarms have a mind of their own, prefer just doing their own thing."

"That's one way to describe it."

"You've met a lot of other cursed?"

"Comes with the territory.” When his forehead furrows you elaborate. “Of being a hunter."

"A hunter?!" His face lights up and he gives you an excited look over. "You’re a hunter?!" You can't help but raise an eyebrow at his exclamation. You don’t think you’ve ever met anyone so enthusiastic about meeting a hunter.

“Sure am.”

“That must be so exciting!” You can practically see the stars in his eyes. You look at him and then pointedly at the bodies lying around him.

“I don’t imagine it’s all that much different than what happened here.” The furrow in his broww comes back for a moment before he glances down at the bodies surrounding him.

“But they wouldn’t attempt to rob and kill you would they? Surely? You’re a hunter!”

“I meant more that hunting is basically just killing things.”

“It’s not killing, it’s protecting!” His arms gesture upwards as he speaks,trying to emphasise what he’s saying. The sudden movement puts you on guard. You may be too far away for him to reach you normally, but with a swarm at his disposal this distance is nothing. He doesn’t seem to notice your sudden wariness continuing to gesture as he speaks. “And these are just bandits! I bet you get to fight all sorts of amazing things. And paid for it to! They must love you in towns! What a glorious life!” Okay, now you have to right some of these misconceptions.

“First off, I wouldn’t clarify anything that makes a habit out of killing or eating people as amazing. Second, it may have passed you by, but being a hunter doesn’t come with this illustrious popularity you seem to think it does. Hunter’s aren’t half as well liked as you seem to believe.”

“But hunters are like guardian angels! They protect the common folk! Fight the good fight! You spend your life risking it for others. How could they not love you for it?” Your eyebrow, which had lowered as you tried to point out the similarities between the two of you rises again.

“The same reason they distrust anyone with a higher status. Abuse of power. Many hunters think the same way you do. That because of what they do they deserve more, deserve better than everyone else. And with the very power that comes with being a hunter they can force everyone else to give them what they believe they deserve.”

“That doesn’t sound very gentlemanly.” He frowns at you.

“No.” You agree idly. “But I guess there's just a kind of person this job tends to attract.”

“What kind of person?”

“One that likes the idea of dedicating their life to killing things?”

“But that’s not what it’s about! It’s about protecting people, making them safe from the creatures they can’t deal with themselves.” Is it wrong of you to be surprised by that sentiment coming from someone cursed? Also slightly turned on? You’re not sure what's worse, being turned on by someone cursed, or that someone being so optimistically idealistic turns you on.

Your silence, as you process these thoughts and feelings seems to put him off. He narrows his eyes at you, body tensing. You can feel the hum of power in the air. “You don’t agree?”

“Oh, I do entirely.” He relaxes immediately, dangerous look swapped out for a bright smile. Would he have really have attacked you for that? For thinking hunting was all about the killing?

“Glad we agree! Now this has been nice but I’ve got to get going…” His focus turns to the mess around him and he starts picking his way carefully through the bodies to the left.

“Wait a minute, we’re not done here.” He pauses and looks at you surprised.

“No?” You take a step closer.

“We got off topic talking about hunters, you were going to tell me about your swarm.” He gives you a vacant smile.

“Oh, was I?” Your smile is full of abnormally sharp teeth that make his eyebrows jump up.

“Yes. Because as a hunter who’s top priority is making sure people are safe I need to make sure that you, cursed as you are, are not a danger to said people.”

“That’s really admirable.” He starts picking his way through the bodies again. You match his pace, circling around the mess so when he steps over the last body you’re right there beside him. “But it’s kind of personal you see? And I would say, doesn’t calling the swarm away when I noticed you instead of attacking show that I’m not violent and mean no harm?”

“You may not be violent towards me right now, but you certainly know how to be violent.” You gesture behind him at the bodies. He stares at you wide eyed.

“They were bandits! Thieves! They attacked me first. I was just defending myself. Surely you can’t hold that against me.”

“I could hold a lot of things against you.” You say thoughtlessly. His brow furrows but you continue hurriedly before he can speak. “Like the fact that you’re cursed. You have a swarm. It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before and the fact that you’re avoiding answering questions about it is very suspicious. Surely  _ you  _ can understand where I’m coming from.”

“No. I thought you were a good guy? Now you’re discriminating against me because of something I can’t help?” His expression turns mulish. 

“You can’t help that your swarm is different?”

“No! Well, yes. But I meant that I have a swarm at all!”

“Most people can’t help that. It doesn’t stop them from turning into monstrous murderers.” 

“I’m not a monstrous murderer.” He says obstinately.

“Do you think anyone would admit it if they were? Especially to a hunter?”

“If they thought they could take one. I could take you.” His suddenly cold, calculating stare makes you pause, while his words injure your pride. He could  _ not  _ take you. Unless it was out, like on a date.

“Look. How about a compromise?” He hesitates, but it’s enough that he stops looking like he‘s going to try and scratch your face off.

“What kind of compromise?”

“I just want to know that I by letting you go I’m not inadvertently signing the death warrants of a bunch of innocent people.” He obviously doesn’t like that implication. “And since you’re reticent to answer any questions… how about we travel together for a while.”

“What?” He blinks at you, face blank.

“I don’t currently have a set destination, we’ll go wherever you need. You think hunting is such a great lifestyle? Why don’t you give it a try? Let me travel with you and you can experience it first hand.”

“You want to travel with me?”

“You want to keep your secrets? Fine. But I need to know that you’re trustworthy, and the only way to do that is to get to know you. So, spending time together, travelling together.”

“And what? If I say no you’ll attack me?” You shrug noncommittally. You wouldn’t attack him, you’re too curious to just put him in the ground like that. If he won’t agree to travel with you, you’ll just have to do it without him knowing.

He sucks in a breath, puffing out his cheeks before letting it all out in an explosive sigh. He looks you up and down again, slowly this time.

“Alright, I’m sure travelling together will be… fun.”

"Great." You give him another smile, close mouthed this time. "Where are you going?"

"Oh, I uh. No. Nowhere. Just around." If his sudden tensing at your question didn't tip you off his stuttered answer would have.

"You must have at least been walking in a direction, preferably with some destination at the end."

"I told you. I wasn't going anywhere."

"While I'm sure there's people out there who do enjoy wandering aimlessly, and you might even be one of them, I do not. Besides, how are you going to get a taste of what it's like to be a hunter if there's no hunt going on? Need people for that." He gives you a long look, and you wonder what exactly he's thinking.

"Well chum, I was walking towards Fairview." He admits. Or so it seems, you wonder if that's the truth.

"So Fairview it is then," you gesture, "lead the way." And he does, setting off into the hills. You have to pick up the pace to avoid falling behind. You wonder if that's his intention or if he just walks this fast normally.

Not that it matters. You're not going anywhere until you figure out what he is. He'll just have to deal with it.


End file.
